2019 RAM CHASSIS CAB Owners Manual

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 463
Do not install a wheel cover or attempt to mount a conven -
tional tire on the collapsible spare wheel, since the wheel is
designed specifically for the collapsible spare tire.
Full Size Spare — If Equipped
The full size spare is for temporary emergency use only. This
tire may look like the originally equipped tire on the front or
rear axle of your vehicle, but it is not. This spare tire may
have limited tread life. When the tread is worn to the tread
wear indicators, the temporary use full size spare tire needs
to be replaced. Since it is not the same as your original equip -
ment tire, replace (or repair) the original equipment tire and
reinstall on the vehicle at the first opportunity. Limited Use Spare — If Equipped
The limited use spare tire is for temporary emergency use
only. This tire is identified by a label located on the limited
use spare wheel. This label contains the driving limitations
for this spare. This tire may look like the original equipped
tire on the front or rear axle of your vehicle, but it is not.
Installation of this limited use spare tire affects vehicle
handling. Since it is not the same as your original equipment
tire, replace (or repair) the original equipment tire and rein -
stall on the vehicle at the first opportunity.WARNING!
Compact and Collapsible spares are for temporary
emergency use only. With these spares, do not drive
more than 50 mph (80 km/h). Temporary use spares have
limited tread life. When the tread is worn to the tread
wear indicators, the temporary use spare tire needs to be
replaced. Be sure to follow the warnings, which apply to
your spare. Failure to do so could result in spare tire
failure and loss of vehicle control. WARNING!
Limited use spares are for emergency use only.
Installation of this limited use spare tire affects vehicle
handling. With this tire, do not drive more than the
speed listed on the limited use spare wheel. Keep
inflated to the cold tire inflation pressures listed on your
Tire and Loading Information Placard located on the
driver’s side B-Pillar or the rear edge of the driver’s side
door. Replace (or repair) the original equipment tire at
the first opportunity and reinstall it on your vehicle.
Failure to do so could result in loss of vehicle control. 7

464 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care
All wheels and wheel trim, especially aluminum and chrome
plated wheels, should be cleaned regularly using mild
(neutral Ph) soap and water to maintain their luster and to
prevent corrosion. Wash wheels with the same soap solution
recommended for the body of the vehicle and remember to
always wash when the surfaces are not hot to the touch.
Your wheels are susceptible to deterioration caused by salt,
sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, etc.,
and other road chemicals used to melt ice or control dust on
dirt roads. Use a soft cloth or sponge and mild soap to wipe
away promptly. Do not use harsh chemicals or a stiff brush.
They can damage the wheel’s protective coating that helps
keep them from corroding and tarnishing. When cleaning extremely dirty wheels including excessive
brake dust, care must be taken in the selection of tire and
wheel cleaning chemicals and equipment to prevent damage
to the wheels. Mopar Wheel Treatment or Mopar Chrome
Cleaner or their equivalent is recommended or select a
non-abrasive, non-acidic cleaner for aluminum or chrome
wheels.
NOTE:
If you intend parking or storing your vehicle for an extended
period after cleaning the wheels with wheel cleaner, drive
your vehicle and apply the brakes to remove the water drop -
lets from the brake components. This activity will remove the
red rust on the brake rotors and prevent vehicle vibration
when braking.CAUTION!
Avoid products or automatic car washes that use acidic
solutions or strong alkaline additives or harsh brushes.
Many aftermarket wheel cleaners and automatic car
washes may damage the wheel's protective finish. Such
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. Only car wash soap, Mopar Wheel Cleaner or
equivalent is recommended. CAUTION!
Do not use scouring pads, steel wool, a bristle brush,
metal polishes or oven cleaner. These products may
damage the wheel's protective finish. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. Only car
wash soap, Mopar Wheel Cleaner or equivalent is
recommended.

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 465
Dark Vapor Chrome, Black Satin Chrome, or Low Gloss
Clear Coat Wheels
Tire Chains (Traction Devices)
Use of traction devices require sufficient tire-to-body clear -
ance. Follow these recommendations to guard against
damage.
• Traction device must be of proper size for the tire, as
recommended by the traction device manufacturer.
Please follow the table below for proper tire size, chain type,
and axle recommendations:CAUTION!
If your vehicle is equipped with these specialty wheels,
DO NOT USE wheel cleaners, abrasives, or polishing
compounds. They will permanently damage this finish
and such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. HAND WASH ONLY USING MILD
SOAP AND WATER WITH A SOFT CLOTH. Used on a
regular basis; this is all that is required to maintain this
finish.
Vehicle Axle Recommendations Tire Sizes Chain Class
Chassis Cab 3500 (Single Rear
Wheel) Models Rear Only LT275/70R18E U Class
Chassis Cab 3500 (Dual Rear
Wheel) 4X2 Models Rear Only LT235/80R17E U Class
Chassis Cab 3500 (Dual Rear
Wheel) 4X4 Models Front/Rear LT235/80R17E U Class
Chassis Cab 4500/5500 Models Rear Only 225/70R19.5G U Class 7

466 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(Continued)Tire Rotation Recommendations
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving, and
braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at unequal
rates.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires. The
benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with aggres -
sive tread designs such as those on On/Off Road type tires.
Rotation will increase tread life, help to maintain mud, snow,
and wet traction levels, and contribute to a smooth, quiet
ride.WARNING!
Using tires of different size and type (M+S, Snow)
between front and rear axles can cause unpredictable
handling. You could lose control and have a collision.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires, observe the
following precautions:
• Because of restricted traction device clearance between
tires and other suspension components, it is important
that only traction devices in good condition are used.
Broken devices can cause serious damage. Stop the
vehicle immediately if noise occurs that could indicate
device breakage. Remove the damaged parts of the
device before further use.
• Install device as tightly as possible and then retighten
after driving about ½ mile (0.8 km).
• Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
• Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and large
bumps, especially with a loaded vehicle.
• Do not drive for a prolonged period on dry pavement. • Observe the traction device manufacturer’s instruc -
tions on the method of installation, operating speed,
and conditions for use. Always use the suggested oper -
ating speed of the device manufacturer’s if it is less
than 30 mph (48 km/h).
• Do not use traction devices on a compact spare tire. CAUTION! (Continued)

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 467
Refer to the “Maintenance Plan” for the proper maintenance
intervals. More frequent rotation is permissible if desired.
The reasons for any rapid or unusual wear should be
corrected prior to rotation being performed.
Tire Rotation
NOTE:
On Canadian vehicles only, if your vehicle is equipped with
All-Season type tires on the front and On/Off Road type tires
mounted on the rear, do not use a front to back rotation
pattern. Instead, rotate your tires side to side at the recom -
mended intervals. Dual Rear Wheels
Tire Rotation
The tires used on dual wheel assemblies should be matched
for wear to prevent overloading one tire in a set. To check if
tires are even, lay a straight edge across all four tires. The
straight edge should touch all the tires. 7

468 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
(Continued)NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with a Tire Pressure Information
System (TPIS):
• The Tire Pressure Information System (TPIS) uses unique
sensors in the inner rear wheels to help identify them from
the outer rear wheels, because of this, the inner and outer
wheel locations can’t be switched.
• After a tire rotation is completed, as shown below, the
system can auto learn the locations of each sensor ID. Auto
learning/localization occurs when the vehicle ignition
status is changed from Off to On and speeds of greater
than 5 mph (8km/h) are obtained and remain over 5mph
(8km/h) for at about a 15 minute period. You may need to
drive for 20 minutes to account slower speeds and stops.
• If the tires are rotated incorrectly, the Auto localization of
the TPIS sensors will fail to locate correctly resulting in
incorrect locations for the pressure values displayed in the
Instrument Cluster. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UNIFORM
TIRE QUALITY GRADES
The following tire grading categories were established by
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The
specific grade rating assigned by the tire's manufacturer
in each category is shown on the sidewall of the tires on
your vehicle.
All passenger vehicle tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.CAUTION!
• 4500/5500 Dual Rear Tires may only have one approved
direction of rotation. This is to accommodate the asym -
metrical design (tread pattern) of the On/Off road tire. • When replacing a flat, the spare tire may have to be
remounted on the rim or installed at a different location
to maintain the correct placement of the tire on the
wheel relative to the tire/wheel position on the vehicle.
For example, if the spare is used to replace an outer rear
tire it will have to be remounted on the rim so that the
wheel is dished inward. That way the tread design of
asymmetrical tires will maintain proper position. CAUTION! (Continued)

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 469
Treadwear
The Treadwear grade is a comparative rating, based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices, and differences in road charac -
teristics and climate.
Traction Grades
The Traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. These grades represent the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement, as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction perfor -
mance. Temperature Grades
The Temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat
and its ability to dissipate heat, when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance, which all
passenger vehicle tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel, than the minimum required by law. WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
7

470 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
STORING THE VEHICLE
If you are storing your vehicle for more than 21 days, we
recommend that you take the following steps to minimize
the drain on your vehicle's battery:
• Disconnect the negative cable from battery.
• Any time you store your vehicle or keep it out of service
(i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air condi -
tioning system at idle for about five minutes in the fresh air
and high blower setting. This will ensure adequate system
lubrication to minimize the possibility of compressor
damage when the system is started again. BODYWORK
Protection From Atmospheric Agents
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to
geographic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads
passable in snow and ice and those that are sprayed on trees
and road surfaces during other seasons are highly corrosive
to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking, which exposes
your vehicle to airborne contaminants, road surfaces on
which the vehicle is operated, extreme hot or cold weather
and other extreme conditions will have an adverse effect on
paint, metal trim, and underbody protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will enable
you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion resistance
built into your vehicle.WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a
tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, under-inflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.